Immune cells

Cardiac Repair and Immune Regulation

In the Ma Lab, we investigate how innate and adaptive immunity regulate cardiac repair and remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI). We aim to develop new therapeutic strategies for ischemic heart failure.

Featured Research Areas

Our lab is focused on developing targeted strategies to improve cardiac repair and reduce adverse remodeling following myocardial infarction.

T Cell Lymphopenia in IHF 

t cell

Lymphopenia, a reduction in circulating lymphocytes, is commonly observed in aging, infection, chronic inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Because lymphocytes play critical roles in regulating immune responses and tissue repair, their loss may contribute to persistent inflammation, impaired healing, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

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Innate Immune Memory 

inflammation

Innate immune cells play critical roles in inflammation and tissue repair following cardiovascular injury. We study how innate immune memory programs, including trained immunity and immune tolerance, regulate these responses and impact cardiac repair and disease progression.

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Aged-Associated Thymic Involution and MI

thymus

The thymus plays a critical role in generating T cells and maintaining immune homeostasis. As thymic function declines with age, reduced T cell production may contribute to impaired immune responses and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We study how thymic aging influences inflammation and cardiac repair.

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Ma lab team

 

Our journey

Our lab began in 2022, and has grown to guide volunteers, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians throughout the years. 

Meet Our Team